Today, in a moment of self-reflexivity, I looked on myself as a third party would, with objective eyes and a different perspective. It occurred to me during that nano-second that it is truly pathetic for a person to think about money all the time. There is something pitiful and lowly about such an individual. I think it was wisdom that brought about that flash of epiphany, rather than something ignoble like envy or defeatism. I reminded myself that aiming for frugality and planning for money is a means to an end and should always be regarded as such.
Coming from a person who works in an office, living in an air-conditioned nation, who is childless, this could seem trite, as if I am superficially parroting what I heard from someone else, somewhere else. It is easy to lapse into thoughtlessness when we live in an environment of abundance. Abundance can distance us from our humanity, but it does not have to be this way.
What is Frugality?
Frugality is to minimize wastage, eschew from unnecessary consumption, in an effort to optimize and maximize the usage of resources. Frugality is not to cut corners towards oneself, to be penny-wise but pound-foolish, or to gain some advantage at the expense of others.
To define what is unnecessary consumption, we have to first define what is necessary consumption. What is necessary is determined by ones value.
Welcome to Singapore, Land of the Slovenly
To me, being well-groomed is a basic in life. Yet, the typical Singaporean women is frumpy and disheveled. This is a country where it is acceptable to go to work bare-faced, without a stitch of make-up on the face. In most places, there is neither social nor professional expectation to put on make-up. In other countries, from time to time, reports surface of the public disapproval of women who apply make-up while on public transport. (That is a disgrace, it is inappropriate for personal grooming to be brought to the public, public transport should not be used as ones' dressing table or a toilet). In Singapore, there is no similar report because women generally don't care about make-up enough to begin with. It is ok to board public transport with hair still wet from the shower. On a normal day, most women do not style their hair using a blow-dryer and styling products. In terms of clothings, the average woman does not care about fabric - whether it is cotton or silk or some synthetic material. Most of us do not pay attention to the cut and the fit - you rarely hear of people rushing to the seamstress for alterations. Although knowledge of sun care is increasing, the woman who takes effort to avoid the sun is mocked at as a fussy freak by those around her. Oddly and ironically, even though living in the equator makes us most vulnerable to the sun, a woman here who uses a UV-parasol is viewed as an aberration. In summary, in Singapore it is justifiable to look a mess, as any shortfall can be conveniently attributed to the hot and humid weather. According to this popular line of thinking, not making any grooming effort makes the greatest sense in the tropics - meticulously arranged hair gets oily in no time, fine clothing makes easy victims for sweat, any make-up is readily melted off. Hot country populated by people who are 'too cool' to care.
Skincare, when no one cares
So, is skincare product necessary when one lives in an environment where no one cares?And in the first place, do skincare products even work?
To the first question, our environment is a projection of our mental state. If we consciously or subconsciously perceive ourselves as slovenly hags, then truly no one cares and no one deserves to be cared about. If we start to value our appearance and present ourselves befittingly, we make a positive addition to the environment, which in turns reflects onto us and creates a spiral of good.
In other words, no one cares when one does not, and when one starts to care, others would. Let's be the standard bearer, shan't we?
To the second question, skincare products work if they contain actives - Vitamin A (retinoids), B (niacinamide) and Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) all help skin cells to grow and replenish. Sunblocks, whether containing physical or chemical agents, prevent UV damage that ages skin directly. Some ingredients provide only temporary optical effects (moisturisers that blur lines and fill pores). Even though they yield no further benefit to the skin once washed off, the cosmetic enhancement that they produce do have intrinsic value.
Missha vs SK-II
Being frugal does not mean foregoing skincare products, it simply means to seek out quality replacements for the expensive. Hello Missha First Treatment Essence, goodbye SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. Both are fermented filtrates that are full of niacinamide, but Missha is less than half the price of SK-II at the same volume. 150ml of Missha First Treatment Essence costs less than SGD 70 (USD 52), while the 75ml of SK-II costs about SGD 100 (USD 73) (the 75ml bottle is sold in a box set with a couple of other sample-sized items. I usually buy the SK-II 75ml kit because given an option I prefer my skincare products in small bottles for maximum freshness).
For the fun of it, I have been experimenting by using SK-II on the left side of my face and Missha on the right. The effects on the skin are very similar but the SK-II side of the face ends up oilier at the end of the day. As such, I will not renew the SK-II purchase once the current bottle is depleted.
How interesting to know what are the new possibilities when we increase our demand on every dollar spent!
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